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Reds 2021

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
The last I read is that the players are on 70% of the contracted sum until the end of the year. Is 2021 back to normal?
No idea - but I’d find that extremely unlikely. How would we be funding 100% of their pre-COVID contract?
 
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Bobby Sands

Guest
I believe Malolua is off contract and can’t be re-signed due to not being Wallaby eligible. Although maybe that rule will change if we need to ensure we have 5 competitive sides. If not Sorovi needs to step up or he will he passed over. Who else is in the production line. Didn’t we bring a young half into the squad with big wraps on him?

Leaving that aside if we have a core group of Gordon (never seen him play, but happy to trust the good word on here), JOC (James O'Connor), Stewart, Paisami, Petaia, CFS, Daugunu, Vunivalu, Campbell, Hegarty (who I think is still on contract) and Flook then I’d say I’m pretty happy with where we are at, our options and our level of depth.

Kalani is a freak, but very young. We need another experienced 9, I want Fines.
 
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Bobby Sands

Guest
A couple of things -
- Petaia is best at 13. I’d be happy to see him at 11 for the rest of this season because he is a very good winger too, especially if CFS is injured, but he is potentially the long term Wallaby 13. I’d rather we don’t stuff him around. Hunter has been great this season, but Petaia is the better of the two
- Gordon has played zero super rugby so far. We are finally building some experience. Let’s use that to bring him through progressively
- Injuries will have a bearing on all these selection decisions
- COVID 19 may yet as well. I don’t know how that is all going to play out, but I wouldn’t count out some releases due to financial pressure as yet

FWIW I think that Jordy is best at 13, but I think the Reds are probably best with Hunter at 13.

This is because he is playing so well and probably can’t play anywhere else, and Jordy could play anywhere he wanted and still dominate.

Really liked him on the wing last night, think he could be a brilliant 15 as well.

It might well happen that Hunter becomes a 12 though, would be very harsh on Hamish though.
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
Unless Petaia has other desires, play him in his best slot. 13. He could be world class and we should give him every chance at it.
 

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
FWIW I think that Jordy is best at 13, but I think the Reds are probably best with Hunter at 13.

This is because he is playing so well and probably can’t play anywhere else, and Jordy could play anywhere he wanted and still dominate.

Really liked him on the wing last night, think he could be a brilliant 15 as well.

It might well happen that Hunter becomes a 12 though, would be very harsh on Hamish though.

My underlying concern is that moving players around excessively doesn’t help them in the long run. And I just think Petaia is best at 13 and the number 1 priority here is to get the best from him. The rub of course is that you have to shift Paisami around to do that. I think he could play 12 - although he’d obviously be a different style to Stewart, but this is where competition is a good thing. If Paisami (and indeed Stewart & Petaia) want their best spot, they’ll have to fight hard for it and develop their game. Can only be a good thing.

Edit: could we play Jordy at lock?
 
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Bobby Sands

Guest
My underlying concern is that moving players around excessively doesn’t help them in the long run. And I just think Petaia is best at 13 and the number 1 priority here is to get the best from him. The rub of course is that you have to shift Paisami around to do that. I think he could play 12 - although he’d obviously be a different style to Stewart, but this is where competition is a good thing. If Paisami (and indeed Stewart & Petaia) want their best spot, they’ll have to fight hard for it and develop their game. Can only be a good thing.

Edit: could we play Jordy at lock?

Jordy could honestly play wherever he wants.

See I’m not sure it’s that simplistic.

I think we need a ball player at 12 to keep playing how we are, and we need the blunt authority of Hunter and he doesn’t really play anywhere else currently. Maybe he will develop a ball playing game?

To me this says that Jordy plays in the back three for us.

But I could be wrong.
 
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hammertimethere

Trevor Allan (34)
Paisami has the passing and running game to play 12, plus he's less likely to get picked off when flying up to smash someone as often. Like A Fainga'a I think it's probably his most natural position (in this early part his career), though I concede he could become an outstanding long term 13 as well if given time.

Also, the Reds seem to be using Stewart to take carries pretty often from first phase at the moment anyway (admittedly he is doing an admirable job given he's not particularly big). It's not like they'd be changing how the 12 plays in the team too much by having 12. Paisami, 13. Petaia
 

sunnyboys

Bob Loudon (25)
i'd like to see Stewart taking the first receiver role at times, to see if that early/original idea of him playing at 10 has any merit with a season or two of Super Rugby under his belt. I say this in light of McKellar's comments regarding letting players develop rather than expecting them to be fully formed pro's straight out of school.
you only need to look at the bloke currently wearing 10 to see how players can change and adapt as they mature.
 

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Jordy could honestly play wherever he wants.

See I’m not sure it’s that simplistic.

I think we need a ball player at 12 to keep playing how we are, and we need the blunt authority of Hunter and he doesn’t really play anywhere else currently. Maybe he will develop a ball playing game?

To me this says that Jordy plays in the back three for us.

But I could be wrong.
Wing isn't a terrible place for him to play this season. Gets his hands on the ball in space without having to truck it up into traffic too much.

Ease him back in.

Plus Paisami is doing very well.
 

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
I really don't know how this backline would work.. alot of fire power, but perhaps lacking in the play making/ position nous/ tactical kicking elements.

Bench would be important to bring a different shape to the game. Feel bad for CFS but need the 10/12/15 covered on the bench as Petaia can cover wing and Paisami can move to 13.

9. Mcdermott 10. JOC (James O'Connor) 11. Vunivalu 12. Paisami 13. Petaia 14. Daugunu 15. Campbell

21. ? 22. Stewart 23. Hegarty
 

sendit

Bob Loudon (25)
maybe longer term Paisami needs to go to another franchise?

I think he'd be a starter next year just about anywhere bar the Brumbies and depending how long Paisami/Kuridrani have left on their contracts he may even be a good replacement for when Kuridrani heads for an overseas payday

we need to try as much as possible at getting away from playing players out of position
 
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